Shoe



Nov. 22, 1927.

G. G. YOUNG SHOE Filed Dec. 31, 1925 A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

GRACE G. YOUNG, or PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA. v,

SHOE.

Application filed December 81, 1925. Serial No. 78,520.

My invention relates to low shoes,particularly to the type known aspumps or slippers. Many wearers of shoes ofthis type have-found thateither the one or the other or both sides thereof,-in the region'of theinstep, gape or flare away from either one or both sides of the foot.This causes the shoe to present a more or less unattractive andunsightly appearance.

The general object of the present inven tion is to provide means whichis invisible when the shoe is upon the foot for correct ing this defect'and for causing the sides of the shoe to hug-or fit closely against thesides of the foot.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means of thecharacter indicated which is adapted to be readily and easilydetachedand removed from one shoe and placed in another shoe, therebyrendering it unnecessary to possess any considerable number of suchdevices.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be pointed out inthe detailed description thereof which follows or will be apparent fromsuchdescription. i

In order that the invention may be readily.

understood and its practical advantages fullv appreciated reference maybe had to the accompanying drawing in which I have illustrated certainconvenient forms of embodiment of the invention. However, itwill beunderstood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in otherforms of construction than those shown and that changes in the detailsof construction mav be made within the scope of theclaims withoutdeiparting from the principle of the said invention. i

' In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view ot a shoe provided with a device embodyingmy in vention also shown in perspective;

F 1g. 2 1s a view 111 perspective of one of the elements included in thestructure of the device shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but showing aInodifiedconstruction of device embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing another modified form of constructlonof the device; Fig. 5 is a view showing in detail a means for connectingthe ends of tape employed in the construction of the device to portionsof the shoe; and

Fig. 6 is a view showing a modified construction of means for joining aplurality of tapes together at an intermediate point of the structure.

Referringto the drawing: 1 designates a shoe o't' the'typeto and forwhich the invention is adapted. Referring first to Figs. 1, 4 and 5, itwill be seen that the strips of elastic material employed in theconstrucv tion of devices embodying the invention are provided at theirends with fastening n eans2 consisting of hooks of the character andconstruction best shown in Fig. 5. These hooks are provided with eyes 3of oblong shape through which an end of a tape may be inserted andturned 'down'and sewed, as indicated at 4.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will be noted that there areemployed in the construction two strips 5 and 6; Each of the strips isprovided at its opposite ends with a-fastening device 2. Each strip isalso secured at its opposite endsfto the same side of the shoe. The saidstrips extend through elongatedey'es 7 of a connecting device 8.

The strips 5 and 6, which as stated are elaseld under slight tensionwhen the tie, are I shoe is off the foot. It will be noted that therearend of the strip 5 is connected. to the inner side of the upper ofthe shoe near the'upper edge thereof and at a point'within the region;of the instep portion thereof, while the opposite end ofthe said strip,which extends through an elongated eye 7 of the/connecting device 8located at about the middle of theshoe, is connected to the upper ofthe-shoe at a point located in forward position from the connectingdevice 8 and ata point near the edge of the inner sole of the shoe.The'elostictape 6 is likewise connected to the opposite side of theshoe. 2 g

It willbe apparent that .upon placing a shoe upon a foot of a wearer thepressure of the foot upon the tapes 5 and 6 would cause portionsthereofto lie flat against the inner sole of the shoe and other portionsthereofto lie against portions of the op posite sides of the upper ofthe shoe. In. the construction as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing thetapes Y10 and 11 of elastic material respectively, extend diagonallyacross the shoe. One end of the tape 10 is connected at 12 to one sideof the upper of the shoe at a point adjoining thefupper edge thereofwithin the region of the instep portion. The opposite end thereof isconnected in the construction shown to the opposite side of the upper,as indicated at 13, at a point forwardly with respect to that at whichthe upper end thereof is connected. The tape 11 is connected in asimilar manher; that is to say, one end thereof is con nected asindicated at 15 to one side of the upper of the shoe near the upper edgethereof and within the instep portion, while the opposite end thereof isconnected to the opposite side of the shoe, as indicated at 16, at apointnear the edge of the inner sole and also in forward position withrespect to the point 15. The tapes 1 0 and 11 cross each other'as shownand are connected together permanently by stitching as indicated at 17.Likewise the opposite ends of the tapes or strips 10 and '11 areconnected by stitching to the upper of the shoe. As in the case of theconstruction shown in Fig. 1, when the shoe is placed upon the footportions of the tapes 10 and 11 are pressed flat against the inner soleof the shoe and one end portion of each tape is located and held betweenthe adjacent portions of the upper andadjoining portions of the instepportions of the foot. In both forms of construction the tapes 5, 6, 10and 11 operate, whenthe shoe provided with the same is 7 upon a foot, todraw the opposite sides of the instep portion of the upper closely andsnugly against the opposite sides of the foot of the wearer therebypreventing gaping or flaring away of the instep portions of the upper,'whereby the neatness of the shoe upon the foot is very greatlyenhanced,

In the construction as shownin Fig. 6 of the drawing the tapes 10 and 11are not permanently fastened together at their middle portions as is thecase in the con st ruction as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, but thesaid tapes are interlocked with each other by means of the openrectangular shaped member '20. It will be noted that the members 10 and11" cross each other and that one of the tapes 10 passes above themember while the other of the said tapes passes underneath the samebutpover the other of the said tapes. It will 'be apparent "that themember 20 operates to slidably connect the tapes 10 and 11 together attheir middle portions.

, The construction as illustrated in Fig. 4 is intended for use in thecase of shoesin which one side only of the instep portion 'Of an uppergapes or jflares away from the foot. .In the said construction two tapesare connected to form a device of Y-shape;

One of the tapes 21 is connected by means of a hook 2 to one side of theinstep portion of the upper at a point near its upper edge, while theopposite end thereof is connected to the opposite side of the shoe, asindicated at 22, and in forward relation with respect to the point ofconnection of the upper end thereof. The branch tape 23 is connected tothe tape 21 near its middle portion and is extended from such point ofconnection to the same side of the upper of the shoe as that to whichthe upper end of the tape 21 is connected and is connected thereto at apoint near the upper edge thereof, which point is located in front ofthe point of connection of the tape 21.

Upon the placing of a shoe provided with a device such as is shownin'Fig. 4 upon the foot of a person the lower portions of the tapes 21and 23, which are elastic, are pressed down against the inner sole ofthe shoe while the upper portions thereof are held between the foot andthe adjoining portion of the upper of the shoe. The tension exerted bythe tapes 21 and '23 tends and opcrates to pull the upper inwardly tohold it closely and snugly against the adjoining instep portion of thefoot thereby preventing the gaping or flaring away thereof. V

In the several forms of construction the tapes or strips of materialemployed are elastic so that upon the placing of .a shoe provided with adevice embodying my invention upon a foot the tapes thereof aresubjected to extensioirand additional tenslon whereby they operate tohold the upper portions of the instep portion of the upper snuglyagainst the fo ot and accomplish the purpose desired by preventing thegaping or flaring away of the said portion.

It has been found in actual practice that the fastening connections,such as 2, the connection 8 for connecting the intermediate portions ofthe tapes 5 and 6 together, and

the connection 20. for slidably connecting the tapes 10" and '11together, do not interfere with the comfort of shoes when the same areworn. In other words, no discomfort to the wearer is caused by theemployment of devices embodying my invention.

It will be seen thatin the case of low shoes which are lacking inneatness due to the gaping or the flaring of zthe instep Portions of theuppers thereof away from the foot I am enabled by my invention,toprevent such gaping or flaring and to cause such shoes .to present aneat appearance by j'holding such portions of the uppers closely andsnugly against the instep portion or portions of the foot. V I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described,

comprising an elastic strip of material hav 1 'ing COIlIieCtlOII at oneend wlth one side of the instep portion of the upper of a-low shoeadjacent the top edge thereof, the said strip extending downwardly,forwardly transversely of the said shoe and having connection at itsother end'with the opposite side of the instep portion of the upperadjacent the bottom edge thereof.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a plurality of stripsof elastic material each having connection at one end with the instepportion of the upper of a low shoe near the top edge of said portion,and each of the said strips extending forwardly and downwardly andhaving connection at its other end with the said shoe adjacent thebottom thereof, which strips are placed under tension by the presence ofa foot in the shoe to pull the top edges of the instep portion of theupper toward the foot. I

device of the character described, comprislng ,a plurality of strips'ofelastic material extending in cross-Wise relation to each other, one endof each strip having' connection with the instep portion of the upper ofa low shoe at a point adjacent the upper edge thereof, and each of thesaid strips extending forwardly from such point of connection, and theopposite end of each of said strips having connection with the oppositeside of the shoe at the bottom thereof.

4. A device of the character described,

comprising a plurality of strips of elasticmaterial having connectionwith each other 7 1 points being located adjacent the bottom of the saidshoe.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a plurality of stripsof elastic material extending in cross-Wise relation to each other,which strips are permanently connected together at intermediate pointsof their lengths, one end of each strip being connected to one side ofthe instepportion edge the points of connection being at opposite sidesof the said upper, and the opposite ends of said strips beingconnected'to opposite sides of the shoe at points near the 'bot- ,GRACEG. YOUNG.

of the upper of a low shoe near its upper I

